VP Victor Ignatenkov Visits Sakhalin

The purpose of the trip was to get acquainted with the life of churches on the island, discuss issues and directions for the development of church ministries, and bring the churches of this remote region closer together with the churches of other Russian regions.

Alexei Zanin lives in Souther Sakhalin, and hospitably received Viktor Ignatenkov accompanying him throughout the trip. As part of the cultural program, Ignatenkov visited the picturesque places of the island, saw the autumn beauty of Sakhalin’s unique nature, visited the coasts of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the Sea of ​​Japan, and was able to enjoy warm sunny weather.

There are six small Evangelical Christian Baptist churches serving on the island. The largest community (120 members) is in the city of Southern-Sakhalinsk, and together with other churches and groups included in the association, the number of church members reaches 250. Viktor and Alexey visited the city of Korsakov, where there is a church consisting of 35 people and a nice house of worship, as well as the city of Kholmsk, where there is a group of believers.

Viktor took part in the Sunday service of the South Sakhalin Church. The community has a large and beautiful house of worship located next to the central city park. On this day, believers from neighboring cities came to the Southern-Sakhalinsk church service, led by Andrei Zanin. Afterward, all the men met with Viktor, as representatives of the UECB leadership are rare guests on Sakhalin, so everyone wanted to listen and get answers to their questions. Viktor spoke about his ministry, about the life of the Baptist Denomination, and about the work of the UECB office. He also answered various questions, gave his recommendations and wishes for the development of church life on Sakhalin.

Alexey Zanin shared about his service in Sakhalin, which is his native land. The churches here are in great need of ordained ministers. Zanin is needed to perform pastoral work not only in his church, but also in other churches of the association. In the past, the churches on Sakhalin experienced many painful processes and were influenced by various teachings, including false ones, which of course affected the life and development of local churches. In Sakhalin, besides the 6 churches, there are small groups of 3-5 people in the villages of Nysh, Val and the city of Kholmsk. In a conversation with Viktor, Alexey asked to tell the Baptist brotherhood that they will be glad to accept ordained ministers to work on Sakhalin island. The existing churches here need to be supported and the groups developed into churches. There are opportunities to get a decent job and take care of your family. Sakhalin provides good opportunities for relocating specialists. The Sakhalin UECB churches will also welcome short-term missions.

Sakhalin churches expressed hope that this visit will help bring unity to their churches and the others on mainland.